Stitched Sophistication

Hello everyone,

Today's post is part of a set of cards I crafted as a thank you for my brother's girlfriend who researched eBay to find some vintage Stampin' Up stamps that ended up in my Christmas stocking.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on a brushed silver also of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Happy Birthday stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The printed paper is highlighted with Onyx Pearl Liquid Pearls.

Before getting started with my new (vintage) stamps, I needed to get the creative mojo flowing so I turned to my bin of scraps and came across this lovely piece of printed paper.  I love the embroidered feel of the images and the simple colour scheme.  My brother's girlfriend is artistic so I figured if it appealed to me, it would do the same for her.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

McGill Graduation

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a congratulations card for a recent McGill University graduate.

The image is McGill's coat of arms layered on Bazzill red and black.  The gold strips are Fancy Pants gold foil.  The sentiment is Creative Expressions Scribbled Sentiments stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections white.  The embellishments are Mark Richards 3mm gold metal.

This is the second custom McGill University graduation card I've done over the past few months which I find somewhat bizarre.  The two cards couldn't have been more different with this one being quite formal and the earlier card just fun.  I thought the gold diagonal strips were reminiscent of a diploma and they prompted me to place the sentiment on the diagonal.  I was inspired to have the tails of the sentiment flow off the diagonal strip.  A great overall result.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Flowered Thanks

Hello everyone,

Today's card is for a girlfriend who crafted me a beautiful mosaic flower pot from an old broken teapot that I'd given her.  I was touched beyond measure.

The background image is Stampin' Up You've Got This stamped in Altenew Evening Gray.  The images are Stampin' Up Petal Prints and Close To My Heart Happy To Be Friends stamped in Altenew Forest Glades, Frayed Leaf and Cosmic Berry.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Another Thank You stamped in Altenew Evergreen.

This thank you card was the perfect opportunity for me to play with my new Altenew inks.  I've been looking at them for some time and decided their 'Black Friday' deal was just too good to pass.  I have had a pretty decent year of card sales so figured this was a great reward.  Given the low Canadian dollar however, it will likely be some time before I will be able to have another splurge like it.  So far I'm quite happy with these inks.  The colours are lovely and the sets of four work very well together.  I have found that the colours change somewhat once dry but I'll figure that out.  Storage is going to be interesting because the pads are traditional and I'm not well set up for the flat, upside down placement these pads will need.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

A First Birthday

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another commissioned card.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Momenta textured cardstock.  The sentiment is printed Word font also layered on Momenta textured cardstock.  The embellishments are of unknown origin (likely Recollections).

I love when this colleague calls me for a card.  He is so into having something crafted that is special, either for his wife or his daughter.  It's quite sweet and something that is still quite novel though I know there are many engaged fathers out there.  I really wanted this special 1st birthday card to be something they'd hang on to.  Dad told me that his daughter isn't a total girly girl but I think this paper and the sparkly butterflies and perfect for a one year old.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Multilingual Birthday Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a birthday card commissioned by a colleague.

The printed paper is Momenta Cardstock layered on Recollections White and Close To My Heart Sky.  The sentiments are a variety of Microsoft Word fonts layered on more Momenta.  The images are Stampin' Up Timeless Textures stamped on Recollections White in Altenew Arctic, Sea Glass, Caribbean Sky, Ocean Wave and Dusk inks.  The embellishments are Recollections Rhinestone Stickers,

I always get a kick out of the commissions this particular colleague requests.  She loves that I really customize cards to the individuals so she provides lots of details about the recipient.  In this particular case, her nephew's girlfriend, is into languages (particularly Latin and Greek), she travels and like sky blue.  Thanks to Google Translate, I was able to print out 'Happy Birthday' in a number of languages and in a number of fonts.  I intended to make them look like luggage stickers but once, I pulled out the sky blue papers, I just wasn't feeling that vibe.  I'm very pleased with the result, even though it's not exactly what I envisioned.  My colleague was very pleased too.  I'm anxious to find out how the recipient liked it.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Cardinal Christmas

Hello everyone,

I hope a wonderful Christmas was had by all!

Today's post is a Christmas card that was commissioned by a colleague before the holidays.

The printed paper is K&Company Tim Coffey Christmas Designer Paper layered on Stampin' Up Ridinghood Red and Recollections Kraft, and highlighted with microbeads, Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen, and Wink Of Stella Clear 999.  The ribbon is Craft Narrows from Michael's.  The brad is BoBunny Silver & Gold.

My colleague asked for a card with a cardinal but I think she was expecting a die cut bird.  I knew I had this beautiful piece of paper in my stash.  I wasn't expecting to find the little chickadee so that was just an added bonus.  This card, thanks to the printed paper, was so quick and easy, and extremely effective for a no sentiment card.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

A Garden In Bloom

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a birthday card I crafted for a colleague.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Bazzill Basics.  The images are Stampin' Up Heartfelt Thanks stamped on Recollections White with Stampin' Up Sage Shadow, Pale Plum, Mauve Mist, Close To My Heart Ponderosa Pine, and Ranger Spun Sugar Distress Ink.  The images are highlighted with Gold Pearl Liquid Pearls.  The sentiment is Gina Marie All Seasons stamped in Ponderosa Pine on Recollections White.  The embellishment is Marianne Design Butterflies.

My colleague's birthday was at the end of November and she was so sick she didn't even make it into the office that day.  I wanted to craft a bright and cheerful card that would really lift her spirits.  She is also a bit of a gardener so I thought this beautiful floral card would do the trick.  I borrowed this stamp set from a friend and now I am just coveting it.  I'll have to start searching eBay.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

All Things Christmas

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the last of the Christmas cards I crafted for a girlfriend.

The printed papers are Stampin' Up Snow Festival.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Seasonal Sayings Christmas stamped in Cherry Cobbler on Whisper White.  The embellishment is of unknown origin.

I truly loved making these Christmas cards.  They were so fun and though quite simple, still really wonderful.  This card layered pattern on pattern which can be somewhat risky.  Given both papers were from the same designer series, and the bottom layer is tone on tone, the two patterns works very well together.  I wish I had had an ornament brad or sticker but I couldn't find one that worked.  This tree has the same points that some of the ornaments have so it's not too bad.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Jolly Old St. Nick

Hello everyone,

Today's Christmas card post is a striking Santa.

The printed papers are Stampin' Up Snow Festival.  The image/sentiment is Paper Inspirations Jolly Santa stamped in Cherry Cobbler on Recollections White and layered on Garden Green.  The embellishments are K&Company EB Visions of Christmas.

This card looks easy but it took a number of attempts to get this image stamped.  It's a large image and if not carefully inked, it looks terrible.  My first attempt was so crooked, I ran out of paper to fix it.  The second attempt ended up with a terrible Cherry Cobbler smear.  The third time was the charm.  I debate layering with Cherry Cobbler but felt the Garden Green really helped the image pop.  I wanted it to pop after all the failed attempts.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Christmas Joy

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another cute teacher Christmas card.

The printed papers are Stampin' Up Snow Festival.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Clear Stamp Set stamped in Cherry Cobbler on Whisper White and layered on Garden Green.  The embellishment is EK Success Christmas Stocking Dimensional Stickers.

I so liked the strip of stockings on yesterday's card that I decided to take advantage of more of the striped paper in this designer paper.  I thought this 'knitted' style worked well with the background layer and wasn't to girly for the 'boys' to give to their teachers.  The stocking sticker fit beautifully in the space of the sentiment.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Stockings In A Row

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another quick and easy teacher Christmas card.

The printed papers are Stampin' Up Snow Festival.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Wishes Come True stamped in Cherry Cobbler on Whisper White.  The card is highlighted with Star Dust Stickles.

This card takes full advantage of one of the striped paper is this designer paper.  I couldn't resist using this row of stockings.  The great thing about Stampin' Up is everything is meant to work together.  This is a great example of that coordination and it makes things so very easy.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Stickered Sweetly

Hello everyone,

This week's posts are a series of Christmas cards commissioned by a girlfriend.

The printed papers are Stampin' Up Snow Festival.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Joy To All stamped in Cherry Cobbler on Whisper White.  The sticker is Twin Seven 3-D.

This series of cards uses a kraft card base.  It was quite quick and easy as I was inspired by the printed papers is this designer series.  It's really wonderful when cards come together so easily.  I've had these big and bold stickers in my stash forever and I thought it would be great for these teacher cards.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Christmas Penguin

Hello everyone,

My girlfriend asked me to craft a few Christmas cards for her sons teachers and daycare.  These are always so much fun for me to design.

The printed papers are Stampin' Up Snow Festival.  The sentiment is Stampendous Retro Christmas Script stamped in Cherry Cobbler on Whisper White.  The embellishment is Petaloo Holiday Penguin Dazzlers.

I was reminded how much I liked this Snow Festival paper when I was designing the Christmas card for the cardmaking group.  The great thing about Stampin' Up paper is that they're designed to work together.  It's not that difficult to spot a 'Stampin' Up' card.  I didn't want these cards to be too girly.  They are going to be given by boys after all.  I thought this penguin was particularly cute for a teacher/daycare.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Shiny and Bright

Hello everyone,

Today's Christmas card was commissioned by a colleague for her Aunt with specific instructions for shiny, glitter, red, and big.

The card base is Recollections Mercury Glass Christmas.  The vertical stripe is a glittered gold of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Denami Design heat embossed with Close To My Heart gold embossing powder, layered on more glittered gold, Mercury Glass and a shimmered gold of unknown origin.  The embellishments are silver snowflakes of unknown origin and Annabelle Elements.

I always try to accommodate commissions and in this case, filled the requirements of shiny, glitter, red and big.  This card is not necessarily to my taste exactly but I don't hate it either.  I've a particular 'thing' for mercury glass and I think this particular red and gold sheet is particularly perfect for this commission.  I wish I'd had gold snowflakes but decided to use the silver ones I had on hand because the size worked well with the larger sized card base.  I don't often get the opportunity to work with this large vertical Christmas stamp so this was another bonus with the larger sized card.  My colleague liked it and I hope her Aunt does as well.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Best Christmas Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's Christmas card is all about the snowflakes.

The printed paper is of unknown origin (likely atd) layered on Stampin' Up Baja Breeze.  The images are Stampin' Up Serene Snowflakes stamped in Baja Breeze and Close To My Heart Twilight on Recollections White and layered on more Baja Breeze.  The sentiment is Stampendous Christmas Wishes stamped in Close To My Heart Outdoor Denim.  The ribbon is Stmapin' Up.  The embellishments are Crafts Rhinestone Stickers.

I couldn't craft a Christmas card for the beginners class without having at least one that was just a little less traditional.  I really love using a blue/white/silver colour combination at Christmas.  It's wonderfully wintery.  This layout is particularly simple but the placement of the ribbon and embellishments allowed for some easy customizing.  The little bit of bling in the ribbon and embellishments is just the right amount of of shiny.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Snowflakes And Stickles

Hello everyone,

It is the season!  Today's post is another Christmas card.

The printed paper is Stampin' Up Be Of Good Cheer layered on Stampin' Up Cherry Cobbler.  The image is Inkadinkado Holiday Sentiments stamped in Cherry Cobbler on Very Vanilla and layered on Gumball Green.  The card is highlighted with Holly Stickles.

I was so happy with yesterday's Santa card that I couldn't resist a somewhat similar on with the image/sentiment in one.  The flip side of this paper is a great stripe and I figured it would provide another option for the cardmakers.  The placement of the Stickles also provided options.  This is a simple card that looks like so very much more.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Holiday Stripes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another Christmas card crafted for a beginners class.

The printed paper is Stampin' Up Snow Festival layered on Cherry Cobbler and Gumball Green.  The image is Inkadinkado Holiday Sentiments stamped in Cherry Cobbler on Recollections White and layered on more Cherry Cobbler.  The embellishments are Recollections Glitter Embellishments.

I do love this card.  It's wonderfully simple but still a great card.  This set of Inkadinkado images/sentiments is really fantastic.  I love it when the sentiment and images are combined into one.  This is a pretty jolly Santa too.  Though the printed paper is just stripes in Christmas colours, it works great as layers for this image.  The glittering snowflakes just add that extra little bit of holiday pretty.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Christmas In Polka Dots

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a Christmas card I designed for the card class I held a few weeks ago.

The printed papers are Recollections City Sidewalks Christmas.  The sentiment is Taylored Expressions stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Stampin' Up Whisper White and layered on more Recollections.  The embellishment is Petaloo Holiday Dazzlers Candy Canes.

The cards I crafted for the class had to be beginner easy but ones they could be very happy with when they were finished.  I also wanted something they could change up a bit and make their own.  I particularly liked using this printed paper because the scale of the images was perfect for a card and depending upon the placement of the sentiment, you'd be able to switch it up easily.  The candy cane embellishment had been in my stash for ages and, like the printed paper, was the perfect scale.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

A Baby Girl

Hello everyone,

In the midst of Christmas madness, I've actually got a non-holiday commission to post.

The printed paper is Echo Park 'Bundle of Joy' It's A Girl layered on Bazzill Bitter Chocolate and Stampin' Up Pink Pirouette.  The image is Inkadinkado Baby Animals stamped in Close To My Heart Blush on Whisper White, clear heat embossed and layered on Bitter Chocolate.  The sentiment, also Inkadinkado Baby Animals, is stamped in Early Espresso on Whisper White and layered on Pink Pirouette.  The embellishments are Kaisercraft Light Pink Rhinestones.

This has to be one of my 'go to' papers for baby cards.  I love all the images which are the perfect scale for a card.  The colours are also wonderful and allow for many different colour combinations.  Pink and brown is a favourite.  I decided to go 'wild' by angling the words in the sentiment.  I love the impact on the layout.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Simply Snowflakes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another commissioned Christmas card.

The printed papers and images are Stampin' Up Christmas Jingle layered on Real Red and Old Olive.  The snowflakes are highlighted with Diamond Stickles.

This had to be one of the quickest Christmas cards ever.  My colleague wanted one of her cards to be fun.  I wanted to ensure it wasn't childish fun but rather a happy card.  As I was going through the Christmas paper stash, I came across this old kit.  I'd participated in a card class and we got to keep the leftovers.  This card, which wasn't to have a sentiment and was going in the mail, seemed like the perfect opportunity to put some of these leftovers to work.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Snowflake Swirls

Hello everyone,

I've another commissioned Christmas card for you today.

The printed paper is Stampin' Up Ski Slope layered on Recollections White and Baja Breeze, and highlighted with Diamond Stickles.  The image is Inkadinkado Winter Trails stamped in Baja Breeze on Recollections White and heat embossed with Stampendous Kaleidoscope embossing powder.

This is another favourite Christmas card (aren't they all).  Unintentionally, this card can be either vertical or horizontal.  It's purposelessly without a sentiment because the recipient is francophone and wanted something 'winter' as opposed to Christmas.  I love that it is quite clean, simple and monochromatic.  As this card will be mailed, I didn't add any bulk.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Snowmen Grins

Hello everyone,

I started working on today's card as a commission for a colleague but it just wasn't what I'd hoped for so I decided to keep it for my own stash.

The printed paper is Recollections Holiday Brights Christmas layered on a red of unknown origin and Bazzill Black, and highlighted with Star Dust Stickles.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Christmas Message stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Whisper White and layered on more Bazzill Black and red.

My colleague was a game for a fun Christmas card but I thought this would be just a little too childish for what she'd intended.  Just because it may not be for her, I quite liked it when I was done so I decided to keep it for my own Christmas cards.  It's a simple card.  I placed the sentiment so it would cover any of the grinning snowmen.  The Stickles add just a wee bit of sparkle.  Something else that I found particularly appealing was the darker grey background of the paper.  It's rather unusual for a Christmas paper and I really like that its different.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Beautiful Blues

Hello everyone,

Today's card is a commission for a colleague.

The image is Inkadinkado stamped in Nick Bantock Prussian Blue on Recollections White and layered on a chrome silver of unknown origin, more Recollections White, a textured blue of unknown origin and more silver foil.  The image is highlighted with Diamond Stickles.

I love this card.  It's actually very clean and simple but the colours and layers put it over the top!  Nothing beats blue, white and silver, especially for a less traditional Christmas card.  This card is to be mailed so I was asked not to add anything too thick.  The layers don't add a lot of thickness and the Stickles add great sparkles without any extra bulk.  This is another card that I could craft over and over.  I could even envision making it in multiple colours.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Whimsical Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's a very feminine birthday card for the newbie carders.

The printed papers are Stampin' Up Cottage Wall.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Beautiful Birthday stamped in Rich Razzleberry on Whisper White and layered on more Cottage Wall.  The butterfly embellishment is Joy Crafts Vintage Flourishes 6003/0023 die cut from Rich Razzleberry that was painted with LuminArte Black Cherry Twinkling H2Os.  The embellishments are Crafts Rhinestone Strips.

One of the girls loves burgundy and, thinking of her, I decided to use some of this beautiful Cottage Wall paper.  It is long gone from the Stampin' Up catalog but is one of my all time favourites.  I actually hoard the pages I've got left.  I thought this butterfly die worked really well with the flourishes on the printed paper.  I decided to paint it, not only to add some interest, but because it was totally lost against the background paper.  I do love the slightly darker tone of the Rich Razzleberry once it was painted.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Awesome In Blue

Hello everyone,

Today's birthday card is one of my all time favourites.

The background images are Stampin' Up Crosshatch stamped in Smoky Slate on Whisper White, Stampin' Up You've Got This stamped in Taken With Teal, and Close To My Heart Ink Blot also stamped in Taken With Teal.  The image panel was layered on Bazzill Blue Calypso.  The sentiment is Joy Crafts Saying 6410/0308 stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The card is highlighted with Silver Pearl Liquid Pearls.

I love, love, love this card.  I'm actually going to keep it for myself and I can't wait to send it to someone.  I borrowed the Crosshatch background stamp from a friend but already know I'm going to try and find one for myself.  I used a second and third impression with the Taken With Teal inked images which had added amazing depth to the background.  I do wish I'd managed to stamp the Crosshatch stamp more straight but it's not a deal breaker.  I think adding the Liquid Pearls was inspired as they kind of look like silver studs.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Wishes In Wood

Hello everyone,

Another card making party card today.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Very Vanilla and Close To My Heart Desert Sand.  The images are Close To My Heart Fallen Leaves stamped in Creamy Caramel on Very Vanilla.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart Joyful Birthday stamped in Early Espresso.  The twine is from Target.

I didn't quite have enough of this printed paper to prep all the cards I needed so I improvised with another 'bark' paper.  As it stands, this sample has the image going horizontal (a little weird) but I managed to cut the others so they are vertical.  I'm hoping the girls wont mind.  I don't often use twine on cards but it really works in this case.  My fingers are crossed that it won't be a pain for the girls.  I just used a simple knot, as opposed to a bow, because it's more manly and works with the wood knots in the printed papers.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Manly Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is one of the adult masculine cards I designed for an upcoming card making party.

The printed paper is Little Yellow Bicycle Multi Geometric layered on Stampin' Up More Mustard.  The image is Stampin' Up Serene Silhouettes stamped in More Mustard on Very Vanilla.  The sentiment is Gina K Tag Lines stamped in Early Espresso on Very Vanilla and layered on More Mustard.  The embellishments are Fabricland.

I've used this paper for many masculine cards,  There is just something about the colours and pattern that really work well for a masculine card.  This image is also a 'go to' for masculine cards.  It's not frou frou or fussy.  I could have chosen any number of colours for the image but I really liked the somewhat monochromatic look of this ink colour with the layered paper.  I used a pretty straightforward layout because it will be beginners who are crafting and I don't want them frustrated by anything too complicated.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Itty Bitty Dinos

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another little boy birthday card.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on DCWV All About Girls and a royal blue of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Wacky Wishes stamped in Nick Bantock Prussian Blue on Recollections White.  The dinosaur embellishment are of unknown origin.

This is the cutest darn dinosaur card!  I chose this printed paper because it coordinated so well with the colours of dinosaur embellishments I had on hand.  Like yesterday's card, this is an extremely flexible card layout.  The sentiment and embellishments could be placed anywhere on the card and will look great.  For this sample, I placed the sentiment is the bottom right 'sweet spot' and anchored it with two embellishments.  The other three dinosaurs were place randomly though I was tempted to put them in a straight line.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Take The Train

Hello everyone,

The next few cards were crafted for a card making party that I donate to a charity auction.

The printed paper is Momenta Textured Cardstock layered on Recollections White and Black.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Delightful Dozen stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and layered on Recollections Black.  The embellishment is Dress It Up Train Embellishments.

I've donated this card making party to our workplace charity for the past few years and it's always been a lot of fun.  The auction winners and a few friends get together to make up cards that I've designed especially for them.  This years it's a mix of birthday and Christmas cards.

One of the winners has two young boys who like trains and dinosaurs.  Good thing I've got appropriate embellishments.  Given the successful bidders have little to no card making experience, I keep the cards extremely straightforward with a lot of flexibility.  I really want to make sure that the ladies go home pleased with their cards.  This sample is yellow but as the train embellishments I had on hand don't come in multiple of the same colours so I've prepped to provide a choice of either green or blue,

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Red And Gold II

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the second Spanish themed Christmas card commissioned by a colleague.

The card base is Artoz Klondike.  The layers are three gold papers and a shimmery red paper of unknown origin.  The top mirror gold layer is embossed with Couture Creations Baubles And Baubles embossing folder.  The sentiment is Verve Glad Tidings stamped in Stampin' Up Cherry Cobbler on a shimmery vanilla of unknown origin.  The embellishments are TPC Studio Rustic Garden mini jewels.

Once I got started with the Spanish theme and had great success with yesterday's card, I couldn't help but to make a second attempt.  This mirror gold paper embosses beautifully and the impact is incredible.  The layers of gold against this rich, shimmery red is stunning!  This was actually a very simple card because I was intent on having as much mirror gold visible for embossing as possible.  I don't know if I'll have a chance to craft more Christmas cards in this style but I'll certainly keep them in mind for next year's cards.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Red And Gold

Hello everyone,

The next couple of posts are special Christmas cards which a colleague commissioned for his wife and daughter to coordinate with the awesome trip he's arranged for them.

The card base is Artoz Klondike.  The layers are Toga l'or de Bombay, a foiled red of unknown origin, and a mirror gold of unknown origin, The top layer is embossed with Ultimate Crafts Christmas Poinsettia embossing folder and highlighted with Xmas Red Stickles.  The vertical element is Little Yellow Bicycle Lace Paper Poinsettia.  The sentiment is Verve Glad Tiding stamped in Stampin' Up Cherry Cobbler on a shimmery vanilla of unknown origin.

The theme of these two cards is Christmas in Spain.  I couldn't find a particular Spanish Christmas element to use so I turned to the colours of Spain, red and gold.  I choose to use the poinsettia on this card because I had this beautiful embossing folder that I'd yet to play with.  I also thought the strip of glitter poinsettia paper would be utterly striking against this mirror gold.  The most challenging part of this card was taking the photo because my camera really didn't like this shiny gold paper.  I think this is one of the most beautiful Christmas cards I've ever crafted.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Bold Thanks

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the thank you card I crafted for the Seniors residence that commissioned the series of birthday cards that I've posted over the past month.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Close To My Heart Outdoor Denim.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Another Thank You stamped in Outdoor Denim on Very Vanilla.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Blue Dots.

If ever you want to make a thank you card that pacts a punch, this is the sentiment to use.  It's big, bold and wonderful!  I think the font is perfect and I especially love that it's on an angle especially when it facilitate such awesome placement of the embellishments.  Though I suppose you could stamp it straight as well.  Blue and cream are a favourite colour combination and along with the sentiment, this card is just perfect!

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

A Corporate Christmas

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a sample of a Christmas card for a (fingers crossed) corporate order.

The green is Bazzill Intense Kiwi layered on a shimmery black and copper of unknown origin.  The copper is embossed with Darice Snowflakes embossing folder.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up More Merry Messages stamped in Tsukineko Brilliance Pearlescent Rust on a shimmery white of unknown origin.  The snowflakes are cut from more shimmery white with Spellbinders Create A Flake 1 and are highlighted with Copper Pearl Liquid Pearls.

This is the first time I've done a sample for a corporate Christmas card.  It was rather fun as I really played on the company logo and colours.  I'm not fussy on the three snowflakes but they were the right scale for the card.  If I get the order, I'll find a better option.  I also debated layering the copper on more black as I find it is kind of floating.  I can easily change the embossing and the sentiment to provide a variety of cards.  I'm quite pleased with this card and regardless of whether I get the order or not, this was a fun card to craft.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

For A Cowboy

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a birthday card commissioned by a colleague for her son's first birthday.

The printed papers are Best Creation Inc. Cowboy Up! layered on Recollections Vanilla. The sentiment is Stampin' Up Sassy Salutations stamped in Close To My Heart Outdoor Denim on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more printed paper.  The name was stamped with an alphabet of unknown origin in Ridinghood Red on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more patterned paper.  The card was distressed by sponging a variety of inks.  The star embellishments are of unknown origin.

My colleague didn't have a theme planned for her son's birthday and gave me licence to just 'go for it'.  I was inspired to craft this card card because months ago, she sent me a photo of her son in a cowboy hat and it was just too cute.  I don't think I've ever used so much patterned paper on a single card before but it really works.  My colleague's personal style is quite modern so I was confident I could stretch my comfort zone.  The gold stars just add to the overall yee haw!

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Subtly Sparkly

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the last birthday card in the commissioned series I've been crafting for the past month.  It's been a really fun series and my card making mojo has been in high gear.

The printed papers are of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Pale Plum.  The image is Stampin' Up Wild Flower Meadow stamped in Pale Plum on Very Vanilla, layered on more printed paper and highlighted with Diamond Stickles.  The sentiment is Sweet & Sassy Script Birthdays stamped in Bordering Blue and also highlighted with Diamond Stickles.

I apologize in advance for the photo.  I accidentally deleted the original and did a retake in my dining room, at night, without the best lighting.  I find taking decent pictures enough of a challenge and cards with this much pink are especially frustrating as they tend to end up having a yellow or orange tinge.  In deference to the muted background paper, I wanted to keep the stamped image rather subtle.  I used my MISTI because this image is quite large and it worked so easily.  I chose this image because the background dots are perfect for Stickles and it was the perfect way to add glitter.  I used a printed blue for layering because there is a subtle blue line in the paper. It's a little stronger than I'd like and in hindsight I should have gone with a more greyish blue tone.  I love the Bordering Blue sentiment, it's more what I'd hoped for in the blue tones.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

All Chalked Up

Hello everyone,

Today's post uses a very cool piece of paper.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Crumb Cake, Close To My Heart Glacier and Recollections Black.  The image is Stampin' Up Mother's Love stamped in Crumb Cake, Bordering Blue and Tombow N57 on Recollections Vanilla, layered on Glacier, and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Well Scripted stamped in Crumb Cake and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The embellishments are of unknown origin.

I really loved the chalk aspect of the printed paper.  It inspired attempting a similar style to the image on the focal panel, which, not by accident, replicates exceedingly well the images of the patterned paper.  You'd think they were manufactured by the same company.  The other very appealing aspect of this paper was the variety of colours which provided wonderful coordinating opportunities.  I particularly love how these shiny blue embellishments just pop.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Happy Birthday Mom

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the birthday card I crafted for my Mom.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Real Red and Recollections Black.  The ladybug image is Stampcraft 440D44 stamped in Real Red on Very Vanilla, highlighted with Sakura Gold Shadow Gelly Roll pen and layered on Recollections Black.  The sentiment is Rubbernecker Best Wishes stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Very Vanilla and layered on Recollections Black.  The embellishments are Recollections Black Glitter Adhesive Dots.

My Mom has always had a 'thing' for ladybugs (and strawberries, and red) so when I saw this weird shaped piece of ladybug paper in a box of donated leftovers, I purloined it for her card.  I knew I had an old, old ladybug stamp which, along with this paper, would make the perfect card!  I do so love these ladybugs!

Happy Birthday Mom!  I hope you've had a wonderful day!

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

More Soft Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's birthday card was crafted with yesterday's card in mind.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on a pink also of unknown origin.  The images are Stampin' Up Timeless Treasures stamped in River Rock and Soft Suede and Stampin' Up Creative Elements stamped in Pink Pirouette on Very Vanilla and layered on more Very Vanilla.  The sentiment is Papertrey Ink Wreath For All Season stamped in Early Espresso.  The embellishments are Copper Pearl Liquid Pearls.

This card is a little bit more striking than yesterday's card but the vintage feeling is just as strong.  I finally put together the Timeless Treasures stamp set that I've had for ages but not yet used.  It did not disappoint in the slightest.  This background paper was the perfect excuse to do the layered stamps on the focal panel.  It actually worked even better than I thought it would.  I had a little more of a challenge with embellishments.  I debated using regular pearls but they really just blended in with the background.  I was going to use more Petal Pink but then I found the Copper Pearls and thought it would be just perfect with the kraft coloured card base.  I'm so glad I didn't resist this CASE of yesterday's card.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Softly Wished

Hello everyone,

Today's birthday card is full of softness and oh so beautiful.

The printed papers are of unknown origin layered on a pink of unknown origin and Stampin' Up Crumb Cake.  The images and sentiment are Gina K Botanicals stamped in Close To My Heart Blush and Slate on Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is layered on more pink.  The embellishments are Marianne Design Flowers highlighted with Petal Pink Liquid Pearls.

This has to be one of the most beautiful cards I've crafted in this series.  It is so soft and subtle and absolutely lovely.  I used the second impressions of the images because I wanted the colours to be as muted as the printed papers.  I wasn't completely happy with the embellishments until I added the Liquid Pearls which is adds a perfect pop of pink.  This is going to be one of those cards I will have a hard time saying goodbye to.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Butterfly Wings

Hello everyone,

Today's birthday card post is all butterflies.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Close To My Heart Twilight and Desert Sand.  The sentiment is Crafters Companion Die'sire Happy Birthday die cut from Twilight, layered on Recollections Vanilla and more Desert Sand, and highlighted with Wink of Stella Clear 999.  The butterflies are Joy Crafts 6002/0322 die cut from a purple of unknown origin.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Purple Glitter Gems.

Believe it or not every once in a while I come across butterflies that don't do a whole heck of a lot for me.  This is one of those papers.  While I really love the butterfly images, the background colour is a weird grey/brown/beige that is really not all that appealing.  The actual colours of the butterflies are not all that bad (thank goodness) but the purple is just a little harsh in comparison to all the other colours.  All this said, I was determined to make a beautiful card.  I figured with my stash of all things butterfly and a little glitter, I could succeed.  I think this is a great card, much better in real life than in this photo.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle
.

Swirling Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post uses a piece of printed paper that I found irresistible.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Close To My Heart Dutch Blue.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Thoughtful Messages stamped in Dutch Blue on Recollections White.  The embellishment is Sizzix Scribbles Swirls die cut from QuicKutz Garden Strips and Dutch Blue.  The sentiment and embellishments is highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.

I just fell in love with this paper when I found it in the scrap bin.  The colours are wonderful and the shapes remind me of water (ok, abstract water).  I repeated the swirl pattern and the colours in the die cut embellishment and the sentiment.  I didn't particularly need to highlight with the ever trusty Sakura pen but I just couldn't resist.  I'd hoped this card would be neutral and will still be considered neutral even with the little bit (minimal really) of glitter.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Pretty Patchwork

Hello everyone,

Today's birthday card is very feminine and wonderfully vintage.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Soft Suede and Primrose Petals.  The image is Stampin' Up Stippled Blossoms stamped in Always Artichoke, Pear Pizzazz, Ridinghood Red and Ruby Red on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Soft Suede and Primrose Petals.  The  sentiment is Stampin' Up Express Yourself stamped in Always Artichoke.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Flamingo Dots.

I love this vintage inspired card.  The reds, browns and greens always work well together.  The floral images, a great multi-step stamp, work great with the hexagon shaped paper, especially the all those dots.  As I was looking for appropriate embellishments I came across these pink dots which also speak to the dots in the background paper.  This is one of my favourite layouts and I've used this type of image/sentiment panel many times and am always happy with the results.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Peachy Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's birthday card is so very pretty.

The printed paper is Graphic 45 Time To Celebrate layered on Close To My Heart Sorbet and Stampin' Up Certainly Celery.  The sentiment is Gina K Garden Silhouettes stamped in Certainly Celery on Recollections Vanilla.  The ribbon is American Crafts.  The embellishments is a glittered outline sticker of unknown origin.

I couldn't believe I found this glittered heart when I was looking for an embellishment.  I've not idea when I did it or if it's an alcohol inked or watercolored background.  It's a perfect peachy match!  I didn't use any fussy layout for this card because I didn't want to cover any of this beautiful paper.  I love the colours and the vintage feeling is what Graphic 45 does so very well.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Beautiful In Beige

Hello everyone,

Today's birthday card, which includes butterflies, is beautifully monochromatic.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Soft Suede and a vanilla of unknown origin.  The image is Joy Crafts 6410/0382 stamped in VersaMark on more vanilla and heat embossed with Close To My Heart Cocoa embossing powder.  The sentiment is Rubbernecker Happy Birthday stamped in Early Espresso on more vanilla.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Mocha Opaques.

As much as I love making bold and bright cards, there is something about the softness of beige and vanilla that also makes me very happy!  This printed paper was in my definite 'to use' pile because of the butterflies.  I came across this Joy Crafts stamps at the local scrapbooking store (Crop A While) and picked it up because the scale is perfect for cards and the vertical aspect really appeals.  Unfortunately, it is a real bear to stamp.  No matter how I conditioned it, what inks I tried, the impression was bloody awful.  I finally decided the best way to get the stamp to work was heat embossing and while it's not perfect, I can live with it.  I don't mind heat embossing but I shouldn't have to do it to get a stamp to work.  I'll have to do some research to figure out a solution to the problem.  I'm open to suggestions so don't hesitate to leave me a comment.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Wings All A Glitter

Hello everyone,

Today's birthday card post speaks to the butterfly lover in me.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Recollections Vanilla and Close To My Heart Baby Pink.  The butterfly is die cut with Spellbinders Wonderful Wings from Stampin' Up Pear Pizzazz.  The butterfly was glittered with DecoArt Glamour Dust.  The sentiment is Gina K Pleasant Plurals stamped in Pear Pizzazz on Recollections Vanilla.

I just had to use this butterfly paper in this birthday card series.  As followers of I SPI will conclude, I love everything butterflies.  I find stripes can be a challenge on cards because no matter how you cut it (LOL), the stripes are never even.  The other odd thing about this paper is that the butterflies on every other row are upside down which I find this somewhat weird.  All that said, I love the pink and green colour combination and the butterflies are pretty darn cute.  This allayed my qualms about the upside down butterflies.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Pretty, Purple And Plaid

Hello everyone,

Today's birthday card is all about purple.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on dark and light textured purple papers also of unknown origin (likely Bazzill).  The sentient is Serendipity stamped in Stampin' Up Elegant Eggplant on Recollections White and layered on more dark and light textured purple.  The butterfly is die cut with Sizzix Bold Butterfly Framelits from Ranger alcohol inked glossy paper and highlighted with Wink of Stella Clear 999.  The embellishment is Darice Gems.

I was so taken with the colours in this plaid paper there was no way I wasn't going to use it for a card in this series.  I really wanted to play up this plaid so chose to use a striking sentiment.  I have tons of butterfly options in my stash so it's pretty inevitable that at least a few would end up in this series.  I couldn't believe that I had a piece of alcohol inked purple paper that coordinated so perfectly with plaid.  It certainly speaks to the colours that I'm drawn to and the obscene amount of stuff I've got on hand.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Berries Of Blue

Hello everyone,

While I was on a roll with my stash of not often used stamps, I came across some really great stamps and just had to see what I could create.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Recollections White and Close To My Heart Glacier.  The images are Stampin' Up Oh, So Lovely stamped in Baja Breeze and Close To My Heart Twilight on Recollections White and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The sentiment is Annabelle Stamps All Things Grow stamped in Twilight on Recollections White and layered on more Glacier.

Oh the things you can do when you find old stamps in your stash.  This is a 2007 set that I know I bought second-hand years ago and can't, for the life of me, figure out why I don't use it more often.  I did some Google searches to find it's date and came across some really spectacular cards that I know I'm going to have to CASE.  I love over stamping.  It's one of my favourite techniques and this set was made for it.  I used a second impression for the background image because the Baja Breeze was a little harsher than I wanted for this monochromatic card.  My mojo is on fire!

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Roses Are Red

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another lovely floral birthday card.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Close To My Heart Blush.  The image is Stampin' Up Both Way Blossoms stamped in Tombow 158 and 837 on Recollections White and layered on more Blush.  The sentiment is Gina K Labeled With Love stamped in Tombow 837.  The ribbon is Crafts.  The embellishments Mark Richards 3mm Gold Metals.

These are two more stamps that I've not used in eons.  The Both Way Blossoms set is from 2006.  It's a set of four stamps that has the full bloom on one end and the bud on the other.  It's a very striking set and though I love it, I don't use it that often.  It's a fairly long stamp and can be hard to fit on even a large card base.  I chose this rose because I felt it 'spoke' really well to the roses on the printed paper.  I'd never thought about stamping each end of the stamp in the same direction - kind of a 'duh' moment.  I can't wait to try it with the other stamps.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Funky Floral

Hello everyone,

Today's feminine birthday card is a stark contrast to the last couple of cards.

The printed papers are of unknown origin layered on Close To My Heart Thistle.  The image is Stampin' Up Botanical Blooms stamped in Wild Wasabi, Certainly Celery and Marvelous Magenta on Whisper White and layered on more Thistle.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up It's Your Birthday stamped in Wild Wasabi.  The embellishment is of unknown origin.

One of the most fun things about this series of cards is that I've taken the opportunity to use some stamps that I've not used in a long time.  This image and sentiment are two of those stamps.  These are old wooden stamps that I've not yet converted to cling stamps so they're kind of tucked away.  Obviously, with this card turning out so beautifully, I've got to get the rest of these stamps switched over.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Back In Time

Hello everyone,

I knew I was going to use this paper one of these birthday cards.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Close To My Heart Cocoa.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart Happy Birthday stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla.  The embellishment is from Multicrafts.

This card, which is very clean and simple notwithstanding the dearth of white space, didn't come together as easily as I thought it would.  I originally planned to add an image of some kind but I didn't have anything that worked with these watches.  After a somewhat frustrating search, I decided a well placed sentiment would work just fine.  I kept the sentiment skinny and off-set so it didn't hide too much of the printed images.  The round embellishments speaks perfectly with the round watches.  When I came across this paper I thought the end result would be entirely different.  I not at all disappointed though because this is a great card.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle